Updated 8/22/19 with auction results! If money was no object or you were an early adopter of Bitcoin, this year’s car offerings during the Car Week auctions are the place to find those elusive dream cars to fill one’s garage. The auction market for cars is still going strong even after big dollar Ferraris and certain Porsches have seemed to settle down a bit. We found six very worthy dream cars (dream wallet required) to be auctioned during the Pebble Beach and Monterey Car Week auctions. Even if you could just buy one, it’d be a major score.
Honestly we found a lot of very worthy cars coming up at auction but we streamlined our selection down to a total of six cars from the three major auctions taking place on the coastal California peninsula, durning what we all know as Car Week.
Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction on 15 Aug 2019, starting at 14:00 PDT and 16 Aug 2019, starting at 10:00 PDT
This is by far the largest auction of the big three, though it has just sixteen cars with estimates which hit $ 1 million plus. What this means is there is a lot of cars, in the more affordable categories, including 40 in the under $75,000 estimate category. Interesting how this Bonham’s auction, held during The Quail Motorsports Gathering, one of the chicest and priciest events during the week, has a lot of more moderately priced cars. In addition to auctions, people can also visit car dealerships offering used cars in montclair to buy pre-owned vehicles. If you want to customize your vehicle, consider seeking window tinting Lynchburg services.
1931 Bentley 4½ Liter Supercharged Birkin Le Mans ReplicaIn July 2019 Bentley Motors celebrated its 100th anniversary, looks like a lot of owners are taking advantage of this centenary year given the number of desirable Bentleys back on the market. This is a prime example. Don’t let the word replica fool you, this is not some kit car or piece-it-together car. This is one of the 50 factory blowers built by Bentley Motors in order to homologate for the Le Mans race. Over the years it has kind of been taken apart, modified and put back together.
It’s a real Blower, a supercharger, the supercar of its day. Hence the early modifications, a Blower Bentley is not an easy to drive car. 
Remember Bentley dominated LeMans back in the late 1920s.
1951 Ferrari 340 America Coupe Speciale
Coachwork by Vignale SOLD: $3,635,000 inc. premium
When it comes to money is no object cars, this true one-off, matching numbers Ferrari will be an interesting lot to watch. Famed coach builder Carrozzeria Vignale only built five 340A chassis with the coupes body. Purchased by millionaire playboy Johnny Ysmael for an insane $25,000 from official Ferrari agency of Rome, Ponti & Mambretti in 1952.
Bespoke features include:
- slotted tail lights recessed into the fender
- front fender slots
- two air intakes on the bonnet
- unique front and rear bumpers
- three level cigarette holder, placed atop the dashboard No less than
- six tail pipes
- two-tone exterior paint
In 1953 he had the car in Los Angeles when he sold it to oilman William Doheney who afterwards sold it to legendary sports car dealer Ernie McAfee, who would campaign the car around the Southern California. McAffee later sold the car to the current seller’s family in the late 50s. It is very rare for a car to have such noted ownerships and then remain in a single family for over 50 years.
RM | Sotheby’s Monterey Auction August 15-17 2019 starting at 5:30 PM each day
Of 189 vehicles, a whopping 52 have estimates in the million dollar or more zone. This year RM | Sotheby’s extended their auction to three days to celebrate Aston Martin’s milestone anniversary of its motorsport history and the spectacular road cars that have come to define the brand. Day one will begin with 34 exceptional Aston Martin cars. I’m guessing Martini’s will be served, shaken, not stirred.
1965 Aston Martin DB5 “Bond Car” considered “The Most Famous Car in the World” $4,000,000 – $6,000,000 SOLD: $6,385,000 = most valuable DB5 sold at auction
Yes, it comes with all the famous guns and gadgetry you know. One of four cars built per Q Branch specifications as featured in Goldfinger this is the car of cars for any movie buff or any car fan. Who doesn’t know this car?
After being sold in 2006 by RM Auctions the car went through an extensive four year restoration of the body and chassis including all 13 of the Ken Adam–designed modifications which were properly refurbished to function as originally built. 
DB5/2008/R is the most legendary Aston Martin ever built, as one of the cornerstones of a marketing relationship that exists to this day.
1939 Porsche Type 64 Not Sold
The auction blunder heard around the globe, with the auctioneer shouting one price and the bidding screen showing something completely different, bidding came to an emergency stop at $17 million, well below the reserve price. Admittedly when we were watching the auction of the McLaren F1, we were confused thinking we heard $40 million when the auctioneer in fact said $14 million. Tough one.
Certainly one of the most important and unique cars built by Porsche, this car already has plenty of people talking. Where’s it gonna go? Who’s gonna buy it? Museum or hidden away in a collection? This might be your one chance to see this amazing streamlined Porsche, the personal car of both Prof. Dr. h.c. Ferdinand Porsche and his son Ferry Porsche.
Years before there was a Porsche, there was a Volkswagen Beetle. In 1928 Prof. Dr. Porsche proposed a sports car version of the Beetle, Type 114. Though he conceived three versions the idea was rejected, two weeks later Volkswagen needed a fix for the Beetle’s poorly performing narrow tires. After 10 different body styles the concept became known internally as Type 64. In early 1939 when a road race, 940 miles, Berlin to Rome, was announced. Porsche received an order from the National Socialist Motor Corps (NSKK) to produce three Sport KdF-Wagen examples, and the Type 64 had new life.
Though the race was later cancelled and despite the wreck of the first example built, Porsche convinced the board to build the second and third examples of the Type 64, this car is the third, which he later purchased.
Thought to be the very first car to wear the iconic wide-font script badge and a clear predecessor to the Gmund coupe, this is the beginnings of Porsche.
Gooding & Company The Pebble Beach Auctions August 16 & 17, 2019 5PM on Friday and 11:00 AM on Saturday
The final major auction of the week is the Gooding & Company Pebble Beach Auction. Years ago this Saturday and Sunday evening auction served to bookend the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, however this newer schedule is much easier on attendees. (I can remember trying to stay awake after an already long Sunday and freezing our butts off in the cold auction tent late on Sunday night.) Gooding & Company will offer 37 of 140 cars with estimates over $1 million, plenty of choices.
1958 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta $5,500,000 – $6,000,000 SOLD $5,100,000
Well, if you’re gonna dream big… this TdF pushes all the buttons. This is one of 36 single louvered Tdfs built. The aluminum body coachwork was competed by Carrozzeria Scaglietti. It was purchase new by Sture Nottorp, one of Sweden’s preeminent racing drivers. He competed with this car at the 12 Hours of Reims, though failed to finish due to mechanical issues. The car then went through a few owners before being acquired in 1973 by Lars Sääf, a Saab-Scania engineer, who intended to restore the car, however it spent the next 30 years in his garage virtually unknown.
In 2006 a french gentleman learned of the car, visited Mr Sääf and made a deal and brought the car to France for a full restoration. To celebrate the car’s rebirth he entered it in the 2010 Tour Auto. Later that year the current owner purchased the car and sent it on to famed restoration shop Motion Products Inc. to work their magic. A two year complete ground up restoration (no expense spared) resulted in a near perfect example of the car in its original splendor. 
Proof was in the car’s inaugural awards, Second in Class at 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® and the coveted Platinum Award at 2013 Cavallino Classic (where my shot above is from).
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing $1,500,000 – $1,800,000 NOT SOLD
Gullwings are now bouncing well above the million dollar mark. This would be another one of the gotta-have-one cars. Originally delivered to Venezuela finished in bright Red over gray leather interior with Rudge knock-off wheels. This one was owned by a young Mark Donohue, early in his racing career, who changed the car’s rear-end ratio to better suit his performance requirements. It later went through other owners and important restoration shops, Paul Russell and Company and Bruce Canepa, needless to say this example has been very well attended to. Fresh from a complete service this 26,499 mile supercar is the right Gullwing for any car enthusiast’s wish list.
Photos: Bonhams, Simon Clay ©2019 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s, Jack Schroeder ©2019 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s, and Gooding & Company
Hi, I'm Lisa, an artist and interior designer with a passion for cars, design, travel and food. Welcome to the lifestyle blog dedicated to providing 
Hi, I'm Lisa, an entrepreneur, artist and interior designer with a thing for cars, design and food. DecorGirl.net is my two sided lifestyle blog dedicated to interior design and fabulous automobiles. There is a lot to enjoy in life, let inspiration be your guide. 🙂
